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Alizayd al Qahtani
The youngest prince of Daevabad, Ali is a devout Muslim who longs to see social justice and equality in his city. History Early Life Alizayd was born in Daevabad, and was raised in the Royal Harem with his sister Zaynab and his mother Queen Hatset. As soon as he could walk he would follow Hatset around, delightfully babbling about everything he could see. Many of the other women commented on how he was the most curious child they'd ever encountered. When he was five years old, he was removed from the Harem and placed in the Citadel to be raised and trained by Wajed, to be Muntadhir's future Qaid. When he was seven years old, Queen Hatset snuck Ali out to the canal to teach him how to swim, an Ayaanle tradition. Unfortunately, that action had the consequence of her being forbidden to be with him unsupervised again. Events during City of Brass Events during Kingdom of Copper Events during Empire of Gold Assassination Attempts Since he was born, there have been numerous attempts on Ali's life. As the second son from two powerful families, he was a potential threat to Muntadhir's throne, as well as a potential target for the enemies of King Ghassan and Queen Hatset. His own behavior was also reason enough for certain attempts on his life. * Within a day of Ali's birth, two Am Gezira assassins approached King Ghassan with their services, suggesting discreet ways that would not raise suspicions with Ta Ntry. Ghassan killed them with his own hands. The City of Brass, ch.29, pg 501 * Though Dara later claims that Ali's hint of childish features prevented him from ending their match in a more lethal mannerThe Kingdom of Copper, ch. 37, pg 550, his spar with an 18-year old Ali in the Citadel training room absolutely could have ended in death if Ali had not evaded his attacks fast enough.The City of Brass, ch. 19, pg 342-351 * After stargazing with Nahri and his siblings on a palace wall pavilion, a Tanzeem shafit shapeshifter named Hanno snuck in and stabbed Ali three times with a long iron knife, one of the strikes going all the way through his back. It was revenge for Ali refusing to further help the Tanzeem, as well as revenge on Ghassan for what had happened to Hanno's young daughter. Jamshid happened upon the scene and Ali used the distraction to headbutt Hanno and slice his throat open with the telescope lens. Jamshid finished the attack by hitting him in the head with a wine bottle, and then under Ali's orders, threw him over the parapet into the lake and took Ali to Nahri for healing. The City of Brass, ch. 23, pg 414-417 * While at the infirmary four days later to get his ripped stitches repaired, Ali interrupts Dara and Nahri's argument about running away. They battle immediately, Dara nearly strangling him before Nahri convinces Dara to stop. She heals him before Dara binds Ali's wrists in iron, and threatens to kill him with his own zulfiqar if Nahri refuses to leave Daevabad with him. When she complies, Ali is taken hostage with them. The City of Brass, ch.26, pg 460-464 * Upon the burning warship that had intercepted Dara and Nahri's escape, Ali was shot in the throat and chest by Dara's arrows as he tried to protect Muntadhir from Dara's rampage. Losing his balance at the boat's edge, Ali fell into the lake. The City of Brass, ch.26-27, pg 476-477 * After being exiled from Daevabad for Ta Ntry's scheming regarding the Tanzeem, Ali's caravan to Am Gezira was betrayed less than a month later. Unknown assassins killed the Ayaanle member who warned Ali of the attack, giving him just enough time to flee through the Euphrates river and into the vast desert beyond. The Kingdom of Copper, Prologue, pg 1 * Can the desert count as an assassin? Ali nearly died again, not too long after leaving his caravan. Eating some kind of toxic root and weakened from the intense conditions, he fell into a stony crevasse, dislocating his shoulder among other injuries. Unable to move, he was lucky Lubayd and Aqisa found and rescued him. The Kingdom of Copper, Prologue, pg 4-5 * A month after Muntadhir and Nahri's wedding, Ali recounts how he learned that he was unable to drown after an assassin had thrown him down a desolate desert well. (In addition to possibly not being canon because this is from a fun deleted scene; he says that attempt happened years ago, but the wedding took place within a year of Dara dying/Ali's marid possession.) Deleted scene/The Kingdom of Copper pre-order prize * When Ali was around 22, still exiled in Bir Nabat, an assassin managed to nearly slice his throat. The attempt was interrupted by Aqisa, and the assassin was caught by his own clan; gutted, and left for the zahhak. The Kingdom of Copper, ch.2, pg 58 * When Ali was 23 he returned to Daevabad, much to Muntadhir's distress. A welcomeback feast was held in his honor, where Jamshid secretly poisoned his tamarind juice. Using Manizheh's old notes to make it, the silver vapors attacked Ali's throat and turned into sharp shards when Ghassan activated Suleiman's Seal. Nahri was able to save him. The Kingdom of Copper, ch.12, pg 220, 223-225 * Five months later, Ali disobeyed a direct order from King Ghassan to stay in the palace by taking Nahri to the Nahid hospital to help the shafit after a violent clash with a Daeva mob. When Ghassan and his men arrived, he attacked Ali and pushed him to the ground, drawing his zulfiqar. It's hard to say if he actually would have killed him, but there was definitely a moment. The Kingdom of Copper, ch.23, pg 380-384 * During the second night of Navasatem, Ali revolts and takes command of the Citadel after learning of Ghassan's order to raze a shafit neighborhood in retaliation for a Tanzeem terrorist attack. Ghassan conspires to use Nahri as bait to lure Ali out so he can be captured and executed, threatening to kill Jamshid if she refuses. Nahri refuses, and when Ghassan storms off, Kaveh uses Manizheh's vapor to kill him. The Kingdom of Copper, ch.34 pg 517-519 * Also during the second night of Navasatem, Manziheh and her Daeva warriors invade Daevabad. Using a deal with the marid, the cursed lake rose up like a serpent beast and cut the down the Citadel tower, knocking it into the lake and killing thousands of the soldiers inside. If Ali couldn't drown, he would have. The Kingdom of Copper, ch.33, pg 507-508 * After launching an attack on the Daeva soldiers and ghouls guarding the beach, Ali is captured by the ifrit Vizaresh and brought to Dara in the palace. Dara waffles between killing him or letting Vizaresh take him as a djinn slave, buying him just enough time to be rescued by Nahri and Muntadhir.The Kingdom of Copper, ch. 37, pg 550-555 * Still in this palace room, Ali attempts to fight Dara but is bounced back because Dara is protected from marid magic. Dara rips away his zulfiqar and slashes at him; Muntadhir stepping between them at the last second and taking the hit. The Kingdom of Copper, ch. 38, pg 565 * After retrieving Suleiman's Seal ring from Ghassan's body on the outdoor pavilion, Nahri and Ali meet Manizheh. Refusing to give her the ring, Manizheh uses Nahid magic to control Ali's body, threatening to kill him with his own blade if Nahri doesn't hand it over. Nahri gives her a different ring, puts the real ring on Ali's finger, and together they jump into the lake to escape.The Kingdom of Copper, ch. 40, pg 597-600 Characteristics Appearance Alizayd is of mixed heritage, Ayaanle and Geziri. He strongly resembles the Ayaanle with his tall height and black skin, and his mother's stern mouth and sharp cheeks. His eyes are Geziri gray, like his father.The City of Brass, ch. 4, pg. 64 His hair is never described. His face is long, elegant, and handsome, with a scruffy chin.The City of Brass, ch. 16, pg. 285 * Relic: Ali's relic is a copper bolt through his right ear.The City of Brass, ch. 14, pg. 251 * Weapons: Ali carries a zulfiqar at his waist and a khanjar tucked in his beltThe City of Brass, ch. 6, pg. 112, and a small knife strapped to his ankle. Personality Abilities Outfits In City of Brass * When Ali snuck into a Daeva Quarter tavern with Sheikh Anas and Hanno, he wore a rich teal Ayaanle robe, a matching turban that wrapped loosely around his neck in the Ayaanle fashion, and a collar of gold worked with coral and pearls. He also used a magic potion to temporarily change his eye color to bright gold.The City of Brass, ch. 4, pg. 63 * Ali's Geziri soldier uniform is a black sleeveless tunic, a calf-length white waist-wrap, a dark gray tasseled turban, and boots.The City of Brass, ch. 16, pg. 256 When he was temporarily Qaid, he wore a crimson turban instead. * For his first day as Qaid, Ali wore a torn sleeveless gray tunic, an indigo waist-wrap with burn marks, sandals, and the crimson turban.The City of Brass, ch. 8, pg. 146, 153 In Kingdom of Copper * At the welcome-back feast, Ali wore a rich black dishdasha trimmed with pale moonstone beads, a grass-green robe patterned in silver ikat, and a beautiful silver turban wrapped in the Geziri style that revealed his copper relic.The Kingdom of Copper, ch. 12, pg 214 Relationships Quotes From City of Brass * Ali "Afraid of a little water? Worried the marid will get you?" : Dara "At home in there, aren't you, little crocodile? Does it remind you of Ta Ntry's fetid swamps?" : Ali "Sand fly, dog, crocodile... Are you just working your way through the animals you can name? How many can be left? Five? Six?"The City of Brass, ch. 26, pg 466-467 * Nahri "The interest in my country, in improving your Arabic... I take it that was all pretense?" : Ali "No, it wasn't. I swear. However our friendship started, however I felt about your family... It's been a dark few months. My time with you... was a light."The City of Brass, ch. 26, pg 468 From Kingdom of Copper * "Those 'explosive stick things' are called rifles, and you are all sadly lacking a spirit of enterprise."The Kingdom of Copper, ch.2, pg 53 * "No, I wasn't afraid. I was tired. I'm tired of everyone in this city feeding on vengeance. I'm tired of teaching our children to hate and fear other children because their parents are our enemies. And I'm sick and tired of acting like the only way to save our people is to cut down all who might oppose us, as if our enemies won't return the favor the instant power shifts."The Kingdom of Copper, ch. 25, pg 413 Trivia References }} Category:Characters Category:A to Z